


Hold on to it

by megyal



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-28
Updated: 2007-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-28 09:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/megyal





	Hold on to it

One wouldn't know by looking at it, but Patrick is a touchy-feely kind of guy. Actually, his hands seem to be independent entities onto themselves; many times he finds them just resting on other people without his permission. Mostly without _their_ permission, either, but other people care a lot less than he does. Pete thinks it's just the _cutest_ thing when Patrick looks up in surprise and finds that his hands have managed to curl around someone's neck in comfortable affection, fingers slowly stroking warm skin above the neckline of some old t-shirt.

Also, his hands are super picky. Only certain people are subject to their wandering nature; the guys in the band, of course. A couple of times, Sean would snap awake at the mixing-board and one of Patrick's hands would be resting on his head, plucking absently at dark hair. For some reason, he doesn't touch his family this much or in this manner. He thought about this once and couldn't come up with any good reason for that, so he didn't think about it anymore.

"Ok, I'm going to demand cash or kind for this service, man," Joe tells him one day after a show, when Patrick is leaning against him as they sit at the edge of a dock. The show was at the picnic area near this weary old marina, and the slow sunset is now flowing over the wooden pilings and sliding golden into the choppy water.

"What service," Patrick says, meaning to arch his voice up at the end of his sentence, but he's too tired. His voice is exhausted and he's not too keen about the drive back in the van, but otherwise he's feeling mellow and happy and... and young. _It’s a good time to be young_ , he muses and feels like falling asleep.

Joe flicks his fingers at his own turbulent head and it's only when Patrick feels them skim across his right forefinger that he realises that his hand had been buried in Joe's hair, kneading like a happy cat.

"You can't charge _me_ for this service," he says, trying to sound toweringly self-righteous, but it only comes out as tired amusement, and Joe's shoulders shake in laughter. " _I'm_ servicing _you_."

"That sounds so wrong," Joe chuckles. "You are a nasty boy and I'm going to tell your mother when we get home. Propositioning innocent friends by the sea. For shame, Patrick Stump."

Patrick yawns mightily and twines a dark curl around one finger. "Shut up. Doesn't change the fact that you like it." He hesitates and moves his head slightly where it is resting on Joe's shoulder, as if he is suddenly unsure if it should be there or not. "You... you don't mind, right? I mean. You should say so if you don't."

Joe shrugs a little and rolls his head under Patrick's palm. "I don't mind, seriously," he says and Patrick's hand curls happily in his hair.

"What are you two _doing_?" Pete asks from right behind them and Patrick twists to look back at him, blinking. "You kind of look like... you know. You're dating, or something."

"We _are_ ," Joe breathes. "Oh my god, can't you feel the love? Pouring out of my veins?"

"No-oo," Pete says slowly; Patrick and Joe snicker and haul themselves up, groaning at the cramped limbs and the thought of them being cramped up even more in the bus for a long trip.

"You don't have any imagination," Joe informs Pete as they walk slowly on the dock, the spaces in the boards under their feet giving glimpses of the silvery water lapping at the wooden supports. "We are Total Committed Serious Boyfriends. Right, Patrick?"

"Right."

"That is _pretty gay_ ," Pete says; both Joe and Patrick stop and stare.

"This from the dude who's 'experimenting with eyeliner'...and you have too much of it on now, by the way." Patrick's voice is dry and Pete glares at him with raccoon-eyed dignity. Joe glances at Patrick with a cheerful glimmer in his eyes and Patrick grins back at him, casually slipping a hand in the crook of Joe's elbow as he starts a tuneless whistle.

***

So, that's how it starts.

Patrick's... _habit_ of touching leads to him consciously doing it to Joe, just to rile Pete, who is actually more prim than he looks; but when that wears off, when Pete really gets into the whole gaiety of it all and starts trumping them with the kissing-boys thing, he simply keeps on doing it. Joe is pretty good-humoured about it, even when Patrick's hands just go on an All Trohman Fest, and he spends most of his time discovering that Joe is lean and warm and feels kind of nice. He also ascertains that Joe likes having his shoulders rubbed after a show and he _really_ digs Patrick's hands in his hair; he groans when Patrick's hands sneak onto his head.

"God, you should come home and shower with me and wash my hair. You'd scrub so awesomely."

"That is so gay," Andy says from the back of Pete's parent's basement, squinting at them. Joe is sprawled on the beat-up sofa, head safe in Patrick's lap. They look at Andy curiously. "You should see yourselves. It's weird."

"You heartless beast! You don't understand Tru Wuv!" Joe cries suddenly and Andy mouths _so weird_ as they laugh themselves fit to split.

"You must hold onto it! Never let it go!" Patrick yells and they're choking on childish giggles.

"Don't let it pass you by, Andrew Hurley!" Joe flings a pillow at him, and Andy rolls his eyes.

***

"Your hand is totally awkwaaarrrd," Joe whispers as the guy with the camera yells at them ( _one more, one more, just smile and hold still you guys!_ ); Patrick snorts. His hand _is_ poised in a strange manner, his left hand resting on Joe's right shoulder, arm crossing both their bodies as they stand side by side. Actually, Joe is turned towards him a bit and it occurs to Patrick that he is slumped a little against Joe the way a girl would lean into her boyfriend. He goes still at this while the flash goes off ...not at the thought itself, but how _nice_ that thought is. Which is a pretty gay thought to be having about a friend like Joe.

"Hey, what is it?" Joe mutters as Patrick tries to slide his hand off, tries to do it in a cool _good-old-buddy_ way. Joe grabs his hand and puts it back it its place as one of the kids they're taking pictures with runs up and exchanges places so that the camera-guy can get in one of the shots. Joe is pressing against him, warm and solid and Patrick inhales slowly, his breath hovering in the cool night air as his brain freezes a little, the sense-memory in his hands promptly reminding him of how nice Joe's hair always feels under his fingertips. He exhales and Joe's hand sneaks between his elbow and his side, hooking securely.

"Ok, thanks!" The kids they're taking the pictures with grin and dash away; as they untangle themselves and walk off towards the van, where they'd been heading to before the kids had accosted them along the way, the back of Joe's hand brushes against Patrick's and while he's in the middle of trying to decide whether to grab on or fold his arms across his chest, Joe holds onto his fingers and grins down at him.

"Are you two still Totally Serious BF's?" Pete asks lightly as he struggles with the panel door. Andy peers at his fingernails and does nothing to help until Pete kicks him on the ankle.

"Better ask somebody," Joe jokes, but for a moment, as Andy and Pete are cursing each other and the door, he's looking down into Patrick's face with a quizzical expression.

 _What?_ Patrick's mouth forms the word without making a sound and he blinks when Joe's curious gaze flicks down to it. Patrick stares at him.

 _Nothing,_ he returns in the same manner and with one final squeeze of his fingers around Patrick's, he clambers into the opened door and tumbles over the very back seat, pushing against the bags to get a proper lying-down space.

For the entire ride home, he doesn't say a word; but when Patrick's hand is flung across the back of the seat directly in front of Joe's enclave, he feels Joe's fingers tickle gently along his arm, and he smiles.

 _fin_


End file.
